Leona Maguire trails by seven after opening 70 in Thailand
PATTAYA, THAILAND - MARCH 10: Nasa Hataoka of Japan tees off at the 11th hole during the first round of Honda LPGA Thailand at Siam Country Club Pattaya Old Course on March 10, 2022 in Pattaya, Thailand. (Photo by Thananuwat Srirasant/Getty Images)
LEONA Maguire has her work cut out after she found herself seven shots off the pace despite opening with a bogey-free, two-under 70 in the Honda LPGA Thailand at Siam Country Club.
The world number 19 birdied the par-five first and the par-three eighth in sweltering conditions at Pattaya Old Course in Chonburi but finished the opening day tied for 42nd in the 66-strong field.
Japan's Nasa Hataoka, Germany's Esther Henseleit and Australia's Su Oh carded bogey-free, nine-under 63s to lead by a shot from China's Xiyu Lin.
Hataoka hit all 14 fairways and all 18 greens in her first round.
"(This is the) first time we know the golf course, so I know the bad position and good position," said Hataoka, whose previous best round at the venue was a 67. "I missed the bad position, so that's why I play really good today."
Henseleit carded nine birdies in a career-low round on her debut in the $1,600,000 event.
"I just didn't make any big mistakes, I think. My irons were good," said Henseleit, a two-time winner on the Ladies European Tour.
"On my first nine, I had many tap-in birdies; on the back nine, I holed like two longer putts. But just stress-free golf."
Oh also shot the lowest round of her competitive career, rolling in a slick four-footer at the last for par to complete the blemish-free scorecard.
"I think my ball striking was actually better last week, but I had like 10 less putts this week, like today," she said after a great day on the greens.
"Like 32 putts last week but had like 23 putts today. With obviously a chip-in it's maybe like 24, 25 putts, but still like eight shots better.
"And I didn't hit it that much closer. I think I hit it closer last week but just didn't hole anything. So I'm glad I holed some putts today. Feels really nice."
Six players are tied for fifth at seven-under, including Canadian Brooke Henderson and France's Celine Boutier, who is of Thai descent.
Defending champion Ariya Jutanugarn, the first Thai player to win the tournament, opened with a two-over 74 and is tied for 63rd.
Maguire hit 11 of 14 fairways but missed seven greens in regulation as she took 27 putts.
The Co Cavan star (27) tied for 27th in her first start of the season, the Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio, won the LPGA Drive On Championship to become the first Irish winner on the LPGA Tour and tied for 13th in last week's HSBC Women's World Championship in Singapore.
She lies fourth in the Race to CME Globe Season standings with tournament winnings this year of $267,296 (€242,384).
